EP0226585B1 - Cultivating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Weeding or cultivating apparatus which comprises a main housing (2), a rotatable drive shaft (8) supported by the main housing (2) and a work head (11) operatively connected to the drive shaft (8) for rotation about an axis which, in use, is substantially normal to the ground to be worked. The work head (11) comprises a disc-like element having a material working edge (13) around its periphery and being adapted to contact or be positioned adjacent to the ground. The disc-like work head has a domed upper portion (19) and a substantially flat underside base surface which, in use, faces towards the ground there being no protrusions beyond the base surface in the direction of the ground.

Description

The invention relates essentially to devices for soil preparation, hoeing, weeding or other agricultural work and 'especially a mobile device designed to be carried or towed by a vehicle such as a tractor or equivalent.

The device is particularly suitable for use on surfaces difficult to access by cultivators or weeders; for example in orchards, planters or vineyards, where trees, plants, or the like, are generally arranged in rows and where the trees or plants of each row have grown together very closely. In some cases, it is difficult to cultivate the soil between the adjoining plants of each row.

Apparatuses of this kind are already known comprising a rotary tillage tool mounted on a vehicle, such as a tractor, by means of an arm that is extendable and retractable relative to the vehicle, so that the tillage tool can move between the plants while the tractor is moving in a straight line between the rows. The agricultural implements of these devices generally comprising a main member, moved by the power take-off, comprising a certain number of projecting parts, situated on the face opposite to the ground and directed towards the latter.

In use, the tool is driven in rotation by means of a shaft arranged vertically with respect to the land to be cultivated and the working parts or other projecting parts are arranged so as to loosen the soil.

There is known for example a tool used for cultivating the earth or for mowing or cutting canes, corresponding to the preamble of claim 1 (Australian patent AU-B-149,371). This tool mainly consists of a structure adapted to be fixed to the drawbar of a tractor, said structure being able to rise and of a disc driven in rotation being able to be positioned either on the surface of the ground, or of so as to be able to penetrate the ground; this latter application requiring a slight adaptation, consisting in placing the projecting parts on the upper part of the disc.

Among the problems encountered with known devices, there is that of the disturbance of the root system of the vine or plants by the working or projecting parts; particularly in the case of the vine where they tend to catch the stalk and the roots and to uproot them. Another problem is that, on certain soils (containing for example a lot of clay) the working parts tend to stuff quickly. This can also occur with certain kinds of grass such as "paspalin", "johnson grass or canes, all the more so when long grasses are encountered, because the winding of the grasses around the tool poses a problem.

There are also problems, with known devices, for adjusting the depth or the position of the working head when one is not able to see the worked surface.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved device which alleviates one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hoeing or tillage apparatus comprising a main body, a rotary drive shaft supported by said main body, a support arranged to support said body on a carrier vehicle, a working head effectively connected to said drive shaft to rotate about an axis which, in use, is approximately normal to the ground to be worked, said working head comprising a disc-shaped member having a tapered rim at its periphery, a domed upper part and a substantially flat base which is, in use, directed towards the ground, is generally characterized in that the main body is adapted to be animated by a relative movement in distance and in approach with respect to the carrier vehicle , in that it comprises control arms integral in rotation with the drive shaft, said control arms being adapted to project the material cut by the working head outside of it and in that it includes a protector designed to prevent any contact of the working head with trees or vines when the appliance is in service.

The work head can be lowered or raised relative to the carrier vehicle.

In addition, it comprises connecting means transmitting a movement to said main body relative to the vehicle, away from and in proximity to the latter.

According to a particular embodiment, said main body further comprises a tubular part provided at each end with bearings supporting and allowing the rotation of the drive shaft, the latter being moved by means supported by the main body constituted a hydraulic motor efficiently connected to the drive shaft.

The control arms are designed so that, when the working head turns in one direction, the materials are projected from said working head in the other direction, so that the materials return to the surface which has just been worked.

The protector consists of a ring mounted to rotate freely on the main body or the drive shaft.

The diameter of the ring is greater than that of the working head.

• La figure 1 représente une vue schématique de l'appareil, selon la présente invention, monté sur un véhicule.
• La figure 2 représente une vue éclatée montrant les parties distinctives de l'appareil selon l'invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of the apparatus, according to the present invention, mounted on a vehicle.
• Figure 2 shows an exploded view showing the distinctive parts of the apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus having the general reference 1, comprises a working or cultivation head 11 which is effectively fixed to a drive shaft 8 designed so that, in the normal position of use, the shaft is generally extends towards the land to be cultivated, weeded or loosened. The work or cultivation head 11 is fixed perpendicular to the end part of the shaft 8, so as to come into contact with the ground or to be placed adjacent to it.

The working head 11 and the shaft 8 of the apparatus are determined to be part of a vehicle such as a tractor 30 or to be supported by it, and designed to be set in relative movement relative to the vehicle , in approach and away from it. It is also desirable that the working head can be lowered or raised relative to the vehicle.

In the form shown, the apparatus 1 comprises a main body 2 effectively supported by the tractor 30; the attachment of the body 2 to the vehicle can be obtained by means of a support 7 allowing relative movement of the body relative to the vehicle, away from and in relation to the latter. This support 7 may consist of a hinged parallelogram such as that described in Australian Patent No. 285,895, although other types of support may be used.

The main body 2 may comprise a first tubular part 4 equipped with a bearing 6 at each end, providing support and allowing the rotation of the shaft 8 and a second tubular part 5. The upper and lower bearings 6 are mounted in abutment against two shoulders located at the upper part of the drive shaft, the lower bearing being retained by a stop ring 22. Preferably, as can be seen, the drive means is also supported by the main body and this drive means can take the form of a hydraulic motor 10 fixed to the body by bolts (not shown) effectively connected to the drive shaft 8, for example by keying (not shown). The hydraulic motor 10 can be connected to an energy source mounted on the tractor or elsewhere.

According to a preferred embodiment, the shaft 8 has its longitudinal axis disposed substantially vertically when the device is in the normal working position. The working head 11, which can take the form of a disc 12, has a working part or a cutting edge 13 over its entire periphery. The disc-shaped member is, in use effectively attached to the end of a drive shaft, such as, for example, that described above, which disc-shaped member is, in use, adjacent to the soil to cultivate, weed or others. According to the embodiment shown, the disc-shaped element 12 has a flat lower face 18, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the soil to be cultivated, weeding or the like, in the position of use and a substantially conical upper face 19 between the underside and the end of the drive shaft.

The disc is preferably mounted so that, in use, its underside is kept approximately parallel to the general plane of the land to be cultivated, hoeing or the like. Control arms 14 are effectively mounted for rotation on the drive shaft or the working head; these control arms being designed to project the materials cut by the work head outside of the latter. Preferably, as shown, the control arms 14 are supported by a lower tubular part 5 of the body and are designed, or determined, so that, when the rotation is in one direction, the materials are ejected into the 'other sense so that they return to the part that has just been worked. According to one embodiment, the control arms are in the form of curved blades arranged radially outwards, from the central longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. As shown, the blades are substantially flat. According to one embodiment, two pairs of blades can be mounted; these pairs of blades being arranged and spaced separately in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft.

The work head can be arranged relative to the soil worked; so as to allow different types of operations to be carried out. For example, it can be placed just above the ground so that it cuts and removes material from the surface of the soil. Alternatively, it can be placed against the surface so that it tends to pull the roots of the weeds. In another working position, it can be placed just below the soil surface, so as to remove large roots. It can also be placed deeper to obtain work or loosening the soil.

The apparatus according to the present invention, moreover, comprises a protective device 16 designed to prevent any contact between the working head and the trunks of the trees or the vines when the apparatus is in service. Preferably, as shown, the protector has the shape of a ring which is mounted to rotate freely on the main body or the drive shaft of the device.

According to one embodiment, the protector is mounted on a freewheel on a bearing fixed on the drive shaft and held in place by a stop ring. As shown, the ring has an outer circle connected to a hub by a series of spokes. Preferably, the protector is dimensioned so that it has a greater diameter. laughing at that of the working head, so that, in operation, the ring tends to rotate around the vine or trunk when it comes into contact, thus preventing the working head from hitting the plants.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device may include sensors making it possible to detect when the protector comes into contact with a plant, which, in this way, actuate the connecting means, in order to drive the working head away from the plant.

It would be beneficial if the apparatus according to the invention could include more than one working head, which would, for example, be mounted on a cross member to be used in the manner described above. According to a particular embodiment or a series of work heads is used, it would be desirable that only the outermost of them is adapted to approach or move away from the vehicle.

Having described the main components of a particular embodiment of the apparatus, a description of the operations and of a particular embodiment are now given.

In this particular embodiment, the apparatus is described with reference to the coupler corresponding to that described in Australian Patent No. 285,895.

The device being mounted on a tractor, the hydraulic drive motor is used to rotate the drive shaft of the work head and the control arms. The disc-shaped working head is positioned just below the soil surface where it cuts the roots of the weeds and pours them away from the plants. By counter-rotation, the control arms return the soil under the plants.

As the tractor moves, along the rows of adjacent plants, the driver uses the coupling means to position the working head between the adjacent plants in the rows. When the protector comes into contact with a plant, it tends to roll around it without causing damage.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus according to the present invention, in its preferred embodiments, offers many advantages over known means. For example, given the constitution of the working head, it does not tend to disturb the root system of the vine or other plants during weeding.

In addition, given that it does not have tillage blades or protruding rotating tools (unlike known rotary cultivators, which have a certain tendency to hang the vine feet or their root system), the device can be used in extreme conditions such as on layers of grass, "paspalin", "johnson grass" or canes without jamming or fouling. In addition, the operator can adjust the depth precisely, when relatively flat terrain allows. If he wishes; the operator can extract a row of weeds during a first pass carried out at relatively high speed. The device, given its construction, is also capable of working in soils of fairly demanding composition. Wet conditions and clay soils do not pose a problem for the device, unlike other rotary weeders which are known to clog in such conditions. Being able to be adjusted in power, the device can work in hard terrain or in the mildest working conditions, bypass, on flat or irregular surfaces, with ease. The device is adaptable and can work by just touching the surface of the soil or can be pushed in at a determined depth, thereby obtaining an uninterrupted furrow, for those who want to irrigate under the plants. In addition, limiting the blades and rotating parts limits maintenance. The work head can be replaced very quickly. Also, the fact that the device does not have a blade or turbine enhances the security offered by the device.

Other advantages arise from the control arms; for example, the fact that they are mounted on a fairly large tubular part, helps prevent weeds from wrapping around the hub. The control arms are such that, by reversing the direction of rotation of the hydraulic motor, they are able to throw the detritus under the plants to form an embankment. For this use, the device tends to give better results with four arms rather than two.

Claims (7)

1. Weeding or cultivating apparatus comprising a main housing (2), a rotatable drive shaft (8) supported by said main housing (2), a coupling (7) arranged for supporting the said housing (2) on a mobile vehicule (30), a work head (11) operatively connected to said drive shaft (8) for rotation about an axis which, in use, is substan- - tially normal to the ground to be worked, said work head (11) comprising a disc-like element (12) having a material working edge (13) around its periphery, a domed upper portion (19) and a substantially flat underside base surface (18) which, in use, faces towards the ground, wherein the main housing (2) is adapted to be mounted for movement relative to the vehicule towards an away therefrom, wherein it includes control member (14) in rotation therewith drive shaft (8) the said control members being adapted to throw material cut by the work head outwardly therefrom and wherein it includes a guard member (16) which is adapted to inhibit contact of the work head with trees or vines when the apparatus is being used.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said work head (11) can be raised or lowered relative to the mobile vehicle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein it includes coupling means for enabling movement of said main housing (2) relative to the vehicle toward an away therefrom.

4. Apparatus according to claims 1 and 3, wherein said main housing (2) comprises a tubular body (4, 5) having bearings (6) at each end thereof for rotatably supporting the drive shaft (8), there further being drive means supported by the main housing in the form of an hydraulic motor (10) operatively connected to. the drive shaft (8).

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control members (14) are shaped so that for work head (11) rotation in one direction material is thrown away from said work head (11) in the other direction causes material to be returned to the area being worked.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein guard member being in the form of a ring (16) is mounted for free rotation on the main housing (2) or drive shaft (8).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ring (16) is of greater dimension than said work head (11).

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